The road to Kentucky Derby 2012 is full of ups and downs and we recently ran the gamut of emotions, beginning with juvenile champ Hansen’s triumphant New York return and ending with Out of Bounds going to the sidelines.

Hansen goes next in G1 Wood Memorial on April 7 - photo by Eclipse Sportswire

First the good news. Hansen overcame post 12 and relaxed beautifully (blinkers off) under Ramon Dominguez to easily capture Saturday’s G3 Gotham Stakes over My Adonis. The Mike Maker trainee took a giant leap in the right direction in regards to making a dent on the first Saturday in May. We will learn much more when he faces better company at nine furlongs in the Wood Memorial.

Jumping over to the West Coast, impressive G3 Sham Stakes hero Out of Bounds is off the Derby trail and out of my top ten after suffering a non-displaced condylar fracture to his left front ankle. The injury was discovered following his 5f bullet drill at Hollywood Park on March 5.

Souper Speedy has not had a published work since Feb 14 and drops off the Exciting Prospects list.

Click on the names of each horse below to view their Horse Racing Nation profile page, which includes pedigree information, results, and video.

Jarrod Horak’s Top Ten Kentucky Derby 2012 Contenders

1. Union Rags (Dixie Union) – My longtime top ranked Derby contender remains at the top of the heap following a strong return tally in the G2 Fountain of Youth (95 BSF). The March 31 Florida Derby is next on the docket. Graded Earnings: $1,070,000

2. Alpha (Bernardini) – Went back-to-back at the Big A in Count Fleet (85 BSF) and Withers (90 BSF) and was finally on good behavior in the gate Feb 4. Breezed 4f in :49.83 (31/49) at Palm Meadows on March 3. Look for him in Florida Derby. Graded Earnings: $180,000

Creative Cause returns to route game in San Felipe - photo by Eclipse Sportswire

5. Creative Cause(Giant’s Causeway) – BC Juvenile show finisher occupied that same spot in G2 San Vicente on Feb 19. He fired a 4f bullet in :46.40 (1/34) at Hollywood Park on March 6 and goes next in Saturday’s G2 San Felipe. Graded Earnings: $506,000

7. Secret Circle (Eddington) – Bob Baffert’s fleet colt passed his second route test in G3 Southwest (102 BSF) at Oaklawn on Feb 20. Not sure how much farther he wants to go but he is fast and deserves another route shot. Worked 5f in 1:00.40 (18/66) at Santa Anita on March 3. Graded Earnings: $170,000

8. Take Charge Indy (A. P. Indy) – Clearly second best to El Padrino at Gulfstream on Jan 29. Drilled a 4f bullet in :47.66 (1/36) at Palm Meadows on March 4. The March 10 Tampa Bay Derby is next. Graded Earnings: $98,400

10. Fed Biz (Giant’s Causeway) – Back-to-back flat mile wins at Santa Anita. Worked 6f in 1:13.40 (3/12) at Santa Anita on Feb 29 but the Baffert trainee tied up recently and will not go in San Felipe as originally planned.

4. Ever So Lucky (Indian Charlie) – Seems to be over recent foot bruise after firing a 5f bullet in :58.80 (1/20) at the Gulf on March 3. Sheppard entered him in Saturday’s G2 Swale at seven panels. Graded Earnings: $33,502

5. Midnight Transfer (Hard Spun) – Made it back-to-back sprint wins at Santa Anita in San Pedro. He worked 4f in :49 (41/61) at Santa Anita on March 4 and will try two turns in Saturday’s San Felipe.

Injured Reserve (in alphabetical order):

1. Algorithms – Missed scheduled Fountain of Youth appearance with bone split injury and is off the Triple Crown trail.

2. B Shanny (Street Cry) – Ran twice in NY last summer including good looking maiden win over El Padrino at Saratoga Aug 20. Bone chip has him on the sidelines.

3. Consortium (Bernardini) – Ankle chip knocked him out of the Gotham and off the Derby trail. He is expected to return later this year.

4. Fire On Ice (Unbridled’s Song) – Suffered a non-displaced condylar fracture in his left hind leg. He is expected to return later this year.

5. Junebugred (Corinthian) – Smarty Jones Stakes hero is off the Derby trail with a bone chip in his ankle.

6. O’Prado Again (El Prado) – G2 Remsen hero suffered a condylar fracture of his right front leg on Jan 9 and is off the Triple Crown trail. He is expected to return later this year.

7. Out of Bounds (Discreet Cat) – G3 Sham hero goes to the sidelines after suffering a non-displaced condylar fracture to his left front ankle. He is off the Triple Crown trail.

8. Sky Kingdom (Empire Maker) – According to Bob Baffert via Twitter, Sky Kingdom needs 60 days off and is no longer on the Triple Crown trail.

9. Stephanoatsee (A.P. Indy) – Injured pastern bone has knocked the Graham Motion trainee off the Derby trail. He is expected to miss at least two months and could return this summer.

10. Timely Tally (Mr. Greeley) – From Ian Wilkes in a recent DRF article – “Timely Tally, on the other hand, will be done for a while. He has a tendon issue. It’s not career-threatening, but I’m trying to work out now how much time I’ll have to give him.”